Warriors Challenges
by Kayliaf
Summary: A bunch of Warriors challenges I did for forums and stuff. All new edition in one book instead of multiple! Disclaimer: Warriors belongs to the Erin Hunter team. I only own my OCs. Rated T just in case.
1. Challenge 1: Nine Lives

Lightningtail walked, trembling, towards the Moonpool. _What will it be like? Will I see my parents? Will Firefeather, my medicine cat, see the ceremony?_ His mind was a whirlwind of questions. Firefeather seemed to sense his thoughts racing, and told him to calm down and that she'd done this before.

Firefeather instructed him to lie down beside the Moonpool and lap a bit of the water. Lightningtail laid down where hinge was, carefully tucking his tail around him, and lapped at the water. As he did, he felt lots of emotions: excitement, joy, anger, love, all coursing through him at once, but all these emotions, and more, were overwhelmed by the grief that he felt for Silverstar, the last leader.

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he was standing in a grassy field with lots of tiny streams that made him think of home. Then he saw 9 cats with starry pelts standing in a circle around him, with Firefeather and many others farther back.

He gasped when he saw the cat standing in front of him, as Silverstar was standing there, but not as he had last saw her, wounded and bleeding. There she was, the leader he grieved for, perfectly healed and looking well-fed, even though in the Clans it was leaf-bare.

She stepped towards him carefully, and said to him, her voice barely more than a whisper, "With this life, I give you clear judgement of character and justice. Use it well to treat all cats equally, no matter where they come from or which ancestors they believe in." As she touched her nose to his, Lightningtail felt a slight tingle run through him, which built up to a fierce fire burning inside him to treat all cats fairly, no matter their background.

She stepped back, and another cat took her place. He recognized this cat as Mintpad, his mother. Quietly, she said to him, "You have done well, my son. I knew that one day, you would become leader." Then she raised her voice, " With this life, I give you a mother's love for her kits. This is the strongest bond within the Clans. Never underestimate a mother's fierceness if her little ones are in danger." When she touched his nose with hers, he immediately felt inside that he would defend the youngest members of the Clan or die trying, no matter how dangerous.

Then she stepped back, and was lost amongst the other StarClan cats. Two cats stepped in to take his mother's place, and he wouldn't have noticed them if one of them hadn't squeaked, "Lightningkit! You're all grown up now!" He looked down and saw his two dead littermates, Thistlekit and Oakkit. Thistlekit slapped his tail over top of Oakkit's mouth, "Be quiet! We're giving him a life, now a conversation!" Oakkit nodded, and Thistlekit removed his tail. "With this life, we give you truth and trust," his two littermates said. "Always tell the truth, no matter how bad it seems," Oakkit mewed, and Thistlekit added, "And trust your clanmates defend the clan against danger." He felt lighter than ever before, as though by telling the full truth to his clanmates and trusting them to do their part lifted a great weight off his shoulders.

A tom as dark as night stepped to where the kits had been, lightly pushing them towards their mother. "Oh, kits. I remember when you were one. I joined LeafClan just to watch you grow up. Now look at where we are." Lightningtail gasped, "Darkness! I never expected to see you here!" "With this life, I give you loyalty and pride. I was as loyal to your clan as I was proud of my rogue origins, and now I wish to pass that on to you." They touched noses, and Lightningtail felt water calm and still at first, becoming rough and forceful, and making him have to dig his claws into the ground harder to stay standing and not swept away.

Then, another kit stepped forward. "Tinykit! Oh, I've missed you so much, my kit," Lightningtail meowed "With this life, I give you love. You must love your clan to lead it. Love your clan and your kits, but most of all, love Leaftail. She will always be there to support you, no matter what happens," Tinykit mewed, then receded. Lightningtail felt a sense of peace spread through him, starting at his heart. He thought about his Clan, Snowpaw, Tansypaw, and Leaftail and how much he loved each of them.

A new cat that Lightningtail didn't know stepped forward lightly. "I am Leafstar, the founder of LeafClan, and I am a great aunt of Leaftail. I faced a lot of betrayal by the cats in my Clan when I was leader, but I always let them try to do what is right the second time," the cat spoke, "So with this life, I give you forgiveness and offering second chances. Use it well to let your clanmates try again and learn from their mistakes." "It's been an honor to meet you," Lightningtail meowed back softly, as she touched her nose to his. He felt like a leaf that fell from a tree and settled, but then the wind picked it back up and off the ground, giving it a second chance to choose where it landed.

Another cat that Lightningtail had never seen before stepped forward, "I am Bramble, a loner who acted as a messenger to bring your clans the Warrior Code. With this life, I give you the gift of the Warrior Code. Use it wisely to keep your clan safe and within the rules, for what is a clan without the Warrior Code?" the loner said, touching his nose to Lightningtail's. He felt strong and powerful, as though the Warrior Code was his life essence and, as long as cats followed it, he could live forever.

The next cat that stepped forward was an apprentice that Lightningtail knew all too well. "Blazepaw!" he exclaimed, "The clan hasn't been the same without you." "Yes, Lightningtail, former mentor. With this life, I give you mentoring. As leader, you are mentor to the whole clan, so always respect and reinforce the relationship between mentor and apprentice." Blazepaw lifted her head so that they could touch noses, and Lightningtail felt a warmth spreading through him that he'd felt only once before, when Blazepaw became his apprentice.

When he looked back, Blazepaw was gone, to be replaced by a cat named Ferntail who had been killed on the Thunderpath only one moon after she became a warrior. "Ferntail! It's so great to see you!" Lightningtail meowed, "We've all missed you." "I've missed you too, Lightningtail. With this life, I give you tireless energy, so that you can do the most for your clan without feeling exhausted," said the youthful she-cat. As Ferntail touched noses with him, Lightningtail felt as if he could run forever without ever stopping.

Then she stepped back, and Silverstar stepped forward once again, "I hail you by your new name, Lightningstar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of LeafClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."

Cheers of, "Lightningstar! Lightningstar! Lightningstar!" erupted from the clearing as the newly named Lightningstar's vision faded to black. When he opened his eyes again, he was in front of the Moonpool beside Firefeather. "Are you ready to go back to our clan?" Lightningstar asked Firefeather. With a faint smile, she meowed back, "Lead on, Lightning _star_."


	2. Challenge 2: Final Thoughts

**Lightningtail's POV**

I slipped out of LeafClan's camp without any cat noticing me, just like Stormstar had told me to. I was on a mission to spy on TreeClan, who'd been attacking us recently. I was told to learn when and where they're next attack was planned to be.

As I crossed the border into TreeClan territory, I snapped a twig. I held my breath, hoping that no cat heard me. I felt as though behind every tree there was an enemy warrior.

I dropped into my hunter's crouch and slunk along the ground when I heard a noise in the distance. I heard it coming closer. I felt like I was forgetting something important. My train of thought was broken when I heard one of the cats in the patrol meow, "Tomorrow we'll wipe out LeafClan once and for all. They'll never expect us to come in through the back of the nursery." I crouched in the shelter of a nearby fern bush, praying to StarClan that the patrol wouldn't notice me.

Finally, after an agonizingly long moment where they remarked the border, they passed by without realizing me. But something came crashing down from the tree above and landed on me. I realized that it was a member of the TreeClan tree-top border patrol. That's what I'd forgotten!

Then 3 more warriors leaped down on top of me. I could manage them. I was LeafClan deputy. I started to fight, remembering my battle training. _Leap-and-slash, tail yank, front paw strike._ But I knew it was over when the other TreeClan patrol came back. I couldn't fight all 8 of them at once.

I thought about how I'd never said goodbye to my mate, Leaftail, before leaving. I thought about Tansykit and Snowkit, who would grow up fatherless. I thought about how if I didn't get back to them, they'd all be dead by moonhigh tommorow.

I fell limp. I pretended to be dead. Apparently, the TreeClan cats fell for it, because they picked me up and shoved me across the border, not too nicely. To be fair, they _did_ think that I was dead. I could feel my pelt, slicked with blood. But I had to keep going. For LeafClan. For Tansykit and Snowkit. And most of all, for Leaftail.

As soon as the last of the TreeClan cats left, I struggled to my paws and somehow found the strength to draw myself forward, one step at a time, towards the camp. I saw Fernmist come out of the entrance and pad away from me, most likely looking for herbs. Two warriors trailed after her to guard her from attacks.

"Over... Here..." I managed to rasp. Luckily, I caught one of the warriors' attention. She waved Fernmist and the second warrior over to me, and they managed to pick me up and bring me to the medicine den.

A bunch of cats crowded around me, but there were only four that I needed to see, "Get Leaftail... Stormstar... Tansykit... Snowkit." One of the warriors took off to fetch the cats I needed, and the rest of the cats parted to make room for them. Stormstar was the first to arrive. "Need to... Move camp." I meowed softly, "TreeClan... Targeting nursery... Tommorow," I relayed the information back to my leader.

Then Leaftail ran through, our kits following, "Goodbye," I whispered, "I will always love you. I'll take care of you from StarClan." _I did it. I saved Leaftail. I saved our kits. I saved LeafClan. I'm dying a hero._ The last thing I heard before Willowwing and Thornfoot came to bring me to StarClan was Fernmist meowing, "I'm sorry. Lightningtail is dead," and Leaftail crying out in anguish.

 _I vow never to forget you. For now and forever more._ I thought silently as I followed Willowwing and Thornfoot to the ranks of StarClan.


	3. Challenge 3: First Battle

**Snowpaw's POV**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here, beneath the Leafledge for a clan meeting!" My, father, Lightningstar, yowled. I knew what was coming. My first battle! Against prey-stealing TreeClan!

"TreeClan has been stealing prey recently, and I have decided that we need to bring the battle to them!" My father continued as a cheer rose up from the group of cats, "I have made patrols to do every part. Leaftail, you will be in charge of the cats who stay behind. That would be Firefeather, Tansypaw, Dappleleaf, Shadowstorm, Swiftmist, Tinyflame, Fireleaf, and, of course, Leaftail. The rest of you will come with me to the TreeClan camp. We leave at dawn tomorrow!"

I learned that I would be a part of Darkstorm's patrol that would target the herb store. We were put in this patrol because we were the fastest and most nimble cats. I was ecstatic. My first battle! Even though I wouldn't be fighting, I was still happy that I would finally be part of one.

We all went to get a good night's rest, except for Leaftail who stayed up to guard the camp. When we woke up, Tansypaw and Firefeather gave us all travelling herbs. And we headed off.

I was bounding along all the way to the TreeClan border, but as soon as we crossed it, I became nervous. I stuck close to Darkstorm. Then I saw the camp, and our patrols split up.

Darkstorm led his patrol around the back of the camp quietly. Then I heard yowling. The 1st attack patrol had come in. Darkstorm signalled to us to go. We snuck through a hole in the brambles and kept to the shadows as we skirted the edge of the fighting, using the shadows to conceal us.

We were able to sneak into the medicine den without being spotted. Darkstorm grabbed Birchfeather, the startled TreeClan medicine cat, into the thick of the battle. Meanwhile, Flameheart had pulled Treepaw out into the battle as well.

We worked quickly, and together we tore up all of the herbs and tossed them into the fray, hoping that by the end of the battle that they would all be ruined. We snuck back out of the camp, and for a second, we stood there, unscathed, waiting for Lightningstar's order to retreat.

Then we heard it, "LeafClan, retreat!" I heard a cat named Rowanfur meow, "Yeah, retreat you cowards. Bring the battle to us and then run away? Typical LeafClan." We ran back across the border and back to the camp. Everyone was okay. There was no major injuries.

But then we got back. And what we saw was bad. Terribly, horribly bad. Our clanmates were strewn across the clearing, lifeless. And covered with the scent of SpottedClan. I realized what had happened. _SpottedClan_ were the Invaders. They had been waiting for a moment like this to destroy our clan.

And that was before I saw Leaftail's body. It was lying in front of the nursery, claws out, ready to attack any cat who tried to get the kits. She was dead, too. Duskfur pushed to the nursery, "Tinyflame! Pouncekit! Graykit! Tigerkit! No!"

The kits were dead too. This couldn't be happening. _No._ My mother couldn't be dead. She was only 29 moons old. Too young to die. But I realized that I hadn't seen two bodies lying in the clearing. _Firefeather and Tansypaw! They might still be alive!_

As this thought crossed my mind, my sister came over. "Tansypaw! I'm so glad you're alive," I meowed. She replied quietly, "Firefeather and I hid in the medicine den. The TreeClan cats didn't know we were there. We were lucky that we survived."

That night, I grieved for Leaftail and all the kits who would never become warriors. I grieved for all of them.

 **Epilogue**

I know now that life goes on, no matter how much cats try to stop it. I learned not to miss them anymore, and knowing that I'd see them in StarClan someday certainly helped. I still love them, but I can live without them for now. And they will wait for me in StarClan, that much I know for certain.


	4. Challenge 4: My Loyalties

**Leafpaw's POV**

I want to go on an adventure. Don't get me wrong, I love my clan. But I also want to explore outside of clan territory. Go on a journey. Report information back about the world around the clans to LeafClan's leader. I don't know what to do. Stay with LeafClan, or go on a journey?

I'm shook out of my thoughts by Shadowstorm, my mentor, announcing, "Leafpaw! We're going hunting!" "Alright, one moment, Shadowstorm!" I replied.

As we padded into the forest, I couldn't help but think to myself, _It's the same place. Over and over again. We never have tried different places to hunt. Ever. If I went on a journey, I could find a new place for the clans to live that has much more prey._

Once again, my mentor's voice was what shook me out of my thoughts, "Leafpaw, I want you to try to catch that bird over there." Shadowstorm pointed with his tail to a dove that was pecking at the ground. I neatly dropped into my hunter's crouch and stalked towards it, pouncing when I got close enough.

I caught it and picked it up. Shadowstorm and I carried it back to camp together and put it on the fresh-kill pile. Then I told him I was going to my den early to be well-rested and energetic for the next sunrise.

But I had actually gone into the den so that I could think about the decision. If I left, I could find new territory and prey. But we have large enough territory and lots of prey here. I sat down in my nest. My family and friends were all here. But I might be welcomed back as a hero if I went on the journey.

I lay down in my nest. I decided that I would decide in the morning after a good night's sleep. I fell asleep easily.

When I woke up, I knew what I had decided. An adventure would be great, but I knew that it had to be with a patrol. I would stay with LeafClan. After everything, I'm still a loyal LeafClan cat through and through. And loyal cats don't just run off whenever they want to. They wait to join patrols.

I went outside and volunteered for the dawn patrol. I wanted to help my clan more than I wanted anything else in the world. Including adventure.


	5. Challenge 5: Rogue Kit

**Leaftail's POV**

"Come _on_ , Leaftail, I've called you three times already! We're going on the dawn patrol!" Bluestorm called. "Sorry, Bluestorm," I meowed, dipping my head to the deputy. "I'm coming."

We walked out of camp with the rest of the patrol; Lightningtail and Fernfire. We remarked the borders with TreeClan and SpottedClan with no trouble.

Then we heard a crash from the direction of the unclaimed territory. We dashed over and searched until sunhigh for the source of the crash.

We were starting to head back to camp when I heard a tiny mew. It was so quiet that I could barely hear it. "Stop," I whispered, "Listen." We all heard it this time. We followed the sound, Bluestorm leading. Thanks to Lightningtail's supreme tracking skills, we found the source of the mew.

It was a tiny rogue kit, about 1 moon old. The source of the crash had been a sapling that had fallen on to the terrified kit. When the kit saw us, it started squirming frantically, trying to escape. I approached it and said, in my quietest, kindest tone, "It's okay, little kit, we're going to get you out of here." Bluestorm, Lightningtail, and Fernfire were lifting branches off of the tree, trying to free the kit.

"Where are your mother and father?" I asked the kit. Shivering, he replied, "They-They left me to f-fend for my-myself." "Oh, you poor thing," I meowed, finally pulling the kit free, "Let's get you back to camp and warm you up." Bluestorm had agreed to let me bring the kit back to the camp.

When we got back to camp, Fernmist immediately took the kit into the medicine den where she warmed him up and gave him some herbs for shock. Meanwhile, Bluestorm reported the news to Flamestar, who agreed to take the kit in. There was some grumbling, but eventually every cat accepted the kit, who had been named Cloudkit after his cloudy white pelt.

* * *

5 moons later...

* * *

Flamestar stood on top of the Leafledge, and yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here, beneath Leafledge, for a Clan meeting!" He waited as the clan gathered around. I settled down near Lightningtail.

"Cloudkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Cloudpaw. Your mentor will be Leaftail. I hope Leaftail will pass down all she knows on to you," Flamestar's voice rang out, "Leaftail, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Darkstorm, and you have shown yourself to be kind and loyal. You will be the mentor of Cloudpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Cloudpaw."

* * *

Cloudpaw trained harder than any of the other apprentices, and, in the end, became a well-respected warrior called Cloudstorm that Leaftail couldn't have been more proud of.


End file.
